Bed-lifter.



J. L. NYLANDER.

BED LIFTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, I915.

1,170,929. Patented Feb. 8,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET i.

WITNESSES; I l/VVE/VTOR L/bSep/Y L Ny/a/m'r THE COLUMBIA PMNOGRAPH 0"WASHINGTON, D. C.

. J. L. NYLANDER.

BED LIFTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1915.

Patented Feb. 8 1916. 1,170,929 2 SHEETS-SHEE T 2.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH c0, WASHINGTON, n. c.

JosnrH L. nynnunnn, or snnrrnn, WASHINGTON.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 29, 1915. Serial No. 17,921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn L. NY- LANDER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Bed-Lifters, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements inbed lifters and the object of myimprovement is to provide a device of neat appearance and simpleconstruction that may be used to lift and sustain in a lifted positionthe head or the foot of a bed.

The invention consists in the novel construction, adaptation, andarrangement of parts more fully described in the followingspecification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and finallypointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in perspectiveof a bed lifting device embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a view infront elevation of the same as it may appear when in use; Fig. 3 is aview in end elevation of the same; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view invertical section on broken line 4, 4 of Fig. 2, showing certain parts inelevation; Fig. 5 is a viewin perspective of a detail of my invention;Fig. 6, is a plan view of a ratchet lever, certain parts being brokenaway more clearly to illustrate certain other parts; and Fig. 7 is aview in end elevation of a modified form of lifting device that may beembodied in my invention. I

This invention is particularly adapted for use in hospitals or in sickrooms where a patient is confined in bed and it is desired to raise oneend of the bed to change the position of the patient from a horizontalto an inclined plane.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference numeralsindicate like parts, 8 is the base plate of a bed lifter and 9 areparallel, spaced rack bars that are arranged in pairs at each end of thebase plate and are connected with base blocks 10 by which they may besecured in a vertical posi tion onthe base plate 8. The top end of eachpair of bars 9 are connected by cross pieces 11 which project outwardlyat one side and are secured to a brace rod 12 that extends lengthwise ofthe top portion of the bed lifter to serve as a brace and to tie the twopairs of bars at opposite ends of the frame together. Each pair of bars9 is provided with a slotted cross block 13, that carr1es a worm wheel14 which is mounted on a Patented Feb. 8, 1916;

vertical shaft 15 and is adapted to engage with the teeth on the rackbars 9 to move the block 13 vertically thereon.

The lower end of each shaft 15 is provided with a bevel gear wheel 16that meshes with another bevel gear wheel 17 that is secured to ahorizontal-shaft 18 whereby the worm wheel 14 may be retarded, thehorizontal shaft 18 being journaled in downwardly pro ecting bearingbrackets 19 formed integral with the cross blocks 13 and having crosspins 20 that are adapted tobe engaged by a ratchet lever 21 provided inthe ends thereof. v

The cross blocks 13 are each provided on their inner sides with spacedlugs 22 having inwardly projecting stud pins 23 disposed therebetween,and a horizontal bed support 24 formed of parallel fiat bars secured ateach end to spacing blocks 25 extends between the blocks13 and issupported on the stud pins 23 which project into holes in theblocks25,asmore clearly shown in Fig. 4, the ends of the bed support 24being disposed between the spaced lugs 22 whereby such bed support ispermitted to oscillate slightly on the lugs'22. I

The bed support 24 is provided at one end with fixed recesses 26 of asuitable shape to receive the casters 27 of a bed 28 and at the otherend with a movable caster receptacle 29, more clearly shown in Fig; 5,that may be adjusted lengthwise of the support 24 to adapt thedevice tobe used on beds of different width.

The ratchet lever 21 is provided with an enlarged end portion that isbifurcated to form side plates 30 between which are j our-' naled aratchet wheel 31 that is engaged by a spring pressed pawl 32 and isformed with hub portions 33 that project outwardly in oppositedirections through the side plates 30 and are provided with slots 34that engage with the pins 20 whereby the shaft 18 may be turned. I

In Fig. 7 I have shown, by a view in end elevation, a modified form ofmy invention comprising parallel spaced bars 35 arranged in pairs in thesame manner as the rack bars 9 and provided-with slotted cross heads 36,only one of which is shown, movable vertically thereon and threaded toreceivevertically disposed adjustment screws 37 that-are disposedbetween the bars 35 in parallel relation thereto and are provided ontheir bottom ends with bevel gear wheels 38 that mesh with other bevelgear wheels 39 on a shaft 4-0 that corresponds with the shaft 18 and maybe rotated in a similar manner by the ratchet lever 21 to raise andlower the cross heads 36, a bed support similar to the support 24: beingconnected with such cross heads 36.

The operation of this invention is as follows: The device is placedcrosswise of'the end of the bed that is to be elevated, with the bedsupporting bar 24 in its lowermost position and the end of the bed islifted and the casters are placed in the caster receptacles 26 and 29respectively. The end of the bed may then be raised to any desiredheight by placing the ratchet bar 21 on the shaft 18 and turning suchshaft in the proper direction to cause the worm wheels 14 to moveupwardly on the rack bars 9. The bed will then remain in the position inwhich it is set until the worm wheel is again rotated by turning theshaft 18. As the bed is raised and the head panel ofsuch bed assumes anangular position the supporting bar 24 will rotate slightly on the pins23 thus preventing a twisting strain from being sustained by the bedlifter on the bed frame.

The operation of the device shown in Fig. 7, is similar to the operationhereinbefore described, the shaft 40 being turned to ro tate the screws37 and the screws 37 moving the crossheads 36 up or down on the bars 35.

Tie ratchet associated with the ratchet bar 21 is single acting but theslots 34 on both ends of the outwardly projecting hub 33 permit such barto be turned over when it is desired to reverse the direction ofrotation of the shaft 18.

Manifestly, changes in the form of construction and arrangement of thevarious parts embodied in my bed lifting device may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of itsadvantages.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. A bed lifter of the class described, comprisinga frame having vertically movable blocks associated therewith, a bedsupporting bar pivotally connected with said blocks to permit a slightoscillation of said bar and means for adapting said bar to be engagedwith beds of different width.

2. A bed lifter of the class described comprising a frame having twopairs of vertical spaced bars disposed at opposite ends thereof, blocksslidably mounted on each of said pairs of bars, means for raising andlowering saidblocks, and a bed supporting bar connected with said blocksto sup port one end of a bed in an elevated position.

3. A bed lifter of the class described, comprising a base plate, a pairof vertically disposed toothed rack bars secured in spaced relation ateach end of said base plate, blocks slidably mounted on each pair ofsaid rack bars, vertical shafts associated with said blocks, worm wheelsprovided on said vertical shafts and adapted to engage with teeth onsaid rack bars, a horizontal shaft extending lengthwise of said baseplate and journaled in said blocks, bevel gears connecting said verticalshafts and said horizon tal shaft whereby said worm wheels may berotated to move said blocks simultaneously, and a bed supporting barconnected with said blocks.

4-. A bed lifter of the class described comprising a frame, verticalstandards provided at the ends of said frame, a bed supporting memberhaving one end connected with each of said vertical standards and-meansfor si multaneously moving the two ends of said bed supporting membervertically on said standards at the same rate of speed.

5. A bed lifter, comprising a base plate, pairs of parallel verticaltoothed rack bars secured in spaced relation at each end of said baseplate, blocks slidably associated with'each of said pairs of rack bars,vertical shafts journaled in said blocks, worm wheels secured on saidvertical shafts, said worm wheels being adapted to engage with theteethon said rack bars, bevel gears connecting said vertical shafts witha horizontal shaft whereby said blocks may be moved simultaneously in avertical direction on said rack bars, a bed supporting bar extendingbetween said blocks to support the end of a bed, said bed supporting barbeing pivotally connected with said blocks to permit a slightoscillation of said bar, and means for adapting said bar to engage withbeds of variousv width.

6. A bed lifter of the class described, comprising a frame, a pair ofspaced vertical bars at each end of said frame, blocks slidablyassociated with each pair of said bars, screws to move said blocksvertically on said bars, and a bed supporting bar connected with saidblocks to support one end of a bed:

ROY R. BOWERS, CARL J. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, 1). G.

